The Adventures of the 4 CrazyCruisers

Abe here.  Last week I went on a week-long cruise with our 3 oldest children, and what an UNFORGETTABLE experience it was!!!
(Also, it might take you a week to get through all of the pictures I've posted, no apology here....just fair warning)

Elinor, Bethany, Clark and I on the BEAUTIFUL beaches of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico!!  This is maybe my favorite group pic from the trip.

Our trip started by driving down to Las Vegas and staying one night.  Betsy posted a few other Vegas pics in a previous blog, but here are Beth and Els enjoying some outdoor pool time in January!

Our hotel room # was 222.....and we thought that was a good sign/omen for the adventures that lay before us.

We made it to Long Beach, CA, with some time to spare before boarding started for the cruise so Clark suggested we check out the beach!

After boarding (which took quite awhile) and getting settled in our cabin, it was time for our first, of MANY, very nice meals in the main dining hall.  There we met Joseph, our very nice waiter for the week.

Monday (Jan. 5th) was our first full day on board Carnival's The Miracle and it was a "day at sea" as we traveled south to Mexico.  The greatest memory I will take from this trip was simply holding hands with one or both of my two beautiful oldest daughters SO MUCH!!!

 Elinor and I on one of our many daddy-daughter dates during the week!!

There was 24-Hour Unlimited ICE CREAM!!

Abraham Jolley & Clark Abraham showing off black polos for dinner Monday night.

A nice view of our ship late that evening.

One very cool aspect of the cruise was the youth activity programs that Elinor, Clark and especially Bethany enjoyed participating in.  DodgeBall at almost midnight!!

Tuesday we arrived at Cabo San Lucas, at the very southern tip of the Baja California peninsula. We actually saw a whale and some dolphins as we neared shore.

Playing some mini-golf right before going ashore at Cabo.

The Winder Farms gang took 2 big passenger vans to a snorkeling beach.  (Check out Clark's head peering from the floor at the back.)

The Fox kids were privileged to ride in the very back of the van.  They LOVED it!!

Here is the whole Winder group at Santa Maria beach at Cabo.

The snorkeling was wonderful even if the visibility wasn't the best due to it being a bit overcast and windy.

I'm grateful Clark, Beth & Els are such strong swimmers.  Accordingly, they quickly became snorkeling experts.

Bethany going snorkeling in the Pacific Ocean!

The Foxes chasing The Fishes.

Elinor LOVED investigating the tide pools in the rocks near the beach and she even collected several beach critters including a sea urchin and sea snail she brought home as pets.

One last pic before leaving this very fun day at the beach.

Wednesday morning we docked in Puerto Vallarta and immediately grabbed a taxi to the Zoo.  In America, I believe all zoos have signs that say DO NOT FEED the animals. Well......

In Mexico, they hand you a bag of food to specifically go feed all the animals!!  It was HILARIOUSLY FUN!!

I had just told Beth that Llamas can spit on you.

After the Zoo, we shopped for souvenirs and then it was off to the beach again. We went from a very secluded beach in Cabo the day before to a completely jam-packed beach at Puerto Vallarta.  Both wonderfully fun!!

Els & Beth soakin' up the sun.

And more swimming.

A group of performers came by looking for tips and put on quite a show for us. 

We were completely wiped by Wednesday's end.  Consequently, we slept WAY IN Thursday morning (it being a day at sea) and I didn't take a single picture until that evening when I went to the extra-nice restaurant on board with several of the Winder group.

This was our cabin for the 4 of us.  We REALLY got to know one another last week!

  This last shot was taken right before our final dinner on Friday.  Thursday and Friday were 2 of the LAZIEST days of my life as we sailed back to Long Beach......so lazy I hardly took any pictures.  

  On Saturday, I was so glad to get home, give Betsy a big hug and kiss and see the Little Rascals again!!  But I'll ALWAYS treasure this probably once in a lifetime chance with my three oldest!!

Captain Cannon Meets Capain Awesome

I owe a big thank you to my sister-in-law, Melissa.  She is a children's literature expert whose advice I sought for recommendations on books for Cannon.  She gave many wonderful suggestions, several of which we checked out from the library yesterday.  I was looking for something funny that he wouldn't be able to put down.  Man, oh man! Did Melissa deliver!

Cannon and Faith both stayed up late last night reading-- sometimes aloud, sometimes silently-- on my bed while I folded clothes.  As a mom of seven, the sound of silence can be golden.  But do you know what's even better than silence?  The sound of children turning book pages.  It was a deliriously happy moment for me.

By this morning he had completed the first two.  As of writing this, he is almost done with the third Captain Awesome book.  Winner, winner!  I asked to take his picture with his books.  Then it got funny.  Have I ever mentioned how entertaining this boy is?

Energizer bunny comes to mind.

The Energizer Bunny with a flair for the dramatic.

I should mention that it is delightful to listen to him read, because not only can he easily decipher the words, but he totally understands the characters and emotions, so listening to him read is like listening to a really great audio book.

And F-U-N-N-Y! 

The good news is that when he finishes #3, we have a whole tote full of more recommended selections.  Yippee! 

The Sick Little Rascals

 

This will definitely affect the contest of fun. 

Colds and coughs have kept us home bound and unable to do most of the fun activities we had planned while Abe and the big kids were away.  George was coughing so much yesterday I took him and Peter to the doctor.  George got a prescription for an inhaler-- like Clark, I think he has cold induced asthma. 

Even so, we have had a very wonderful time together and we've made our own fun at home.  Before Faith came down with sickness today, she created "Baby Care" yesterday.  Her rates were very reasonable and her business was very professional (note the walkie-talkie).

I have missed my big girls helping out with Peter, but Faith as definitely done her share of helping this week.

I have found that Peter really likes the backpack.  I can get all sorts of things done while I tote him around-- namely, making meals.  But here's the great thing about it for me--- Peter gives me head and neck massages.  See below.

It really is quite relaxing.

We spent lots of time reading books and watching movies.  When the big kids are home and we're doing school and business as usual, I really try to make time to still read aloud to the little kids, but it can be challenging.  I think what I have enjoyed most this week is the time to do whatever we feel like doing.  

With the bigger kids around, understandably, we need to take our school work more seriously.  And with so many different schedules, we need to run a fairly tight ship to get everything done and get people where they need to be.  We can't just do whatever we feel like each day.  This week has been like traveling back in time to when Clark, Bethany, and Elinor were young and Faith was a baby.-- only I get to have all the experience of having already raised little kids.  I have been so relaxed and patient and I have enjoyed being able to really enjoy these little ones.   I can't wait to hear all about the cruise and The Crazy Cruisers adventures, but this week has been priceless to me.

New Year's Eve 2014

Putting aside the fact that this is not a very flattering picture of me, and that absolutely nobody cares about that except me, this was our super fun New Year's Eve 2014 gathering.  We figured that we've been doing New Year's Eve with the Johansens for seven years in a row.  It is the game night of game nights-- made even better this year with Jeremy home from his mission.  He was missed.

There was much junk food and running and shouting and laser guns.

I repeat my request for all friends and family to get these guns and let's battle!
You want to hear something crazy?  Elinor goes to Young Women's in two months-- SAY WHAT???  I know she looks the part, but Elinor has never been terribly anxious to grow up, so it is kind of wierding me out.

Just Dance was the most popular activity amongst the youth aged.  This activity carried over into the next evening when Clark and Bethany had friends over again for more dancing.  

Boys and girls playing together in my own home-- shudder.  Times is a changing,  May I now take this opportunity to apologize to my parents, my siblings, my church leaders and school teachers-- basically anybody I annoyed with overly flirtatious behavior in my youth.  What goes around comes around and it's coming around on my offspring.  I blame no one but myself.  And here I was thinking homeschooling would make them socially awkward!  They were supposed to be scared of the opposite sex!

Now I don't want to brag or anything, but as this picture clearly shows, I can really groove-- but as this picture clearly shows, I should never do so publicly.  

When the clock struck twelve the gang celebrated with Ryan Seacrest.

And banged pots and pans outside.

And slept.

And nursed.

Here is by far the best thing to come out of 2014!  Happy 2015!

The Contest of Fun

Abe, Clark, Bethany, and Elinor left yesterday morning for a week long cruise to the Mexican Riviera.  This trip is part of an incentive program with Abe's work-- which work he worked so hard at this year that he earned enough to completely pay for all four of them to go.
I like to think I was Abe's first choice of trip companion, but since Peter is less than six months old, he could not go.  And since Peter couldn't go, I wouldn't go.

So as it is, I am home with my four youngest children, also known as "Team Little Rascals".  We have challenged Abe and the older kids, AKA "Team Crazy Cruisers", to contest of fun.  Who will have the most fun this week?  You might think it's no contest, but The Little Rascals plan on giving The Crazy Cruisers a run for their money.

You be the judge-- here is day one and two as told in text message pictures and commentary.

DAY 1

 Betsy to Abe:  Team Little Rascals off on their first adventure this week--the dinosaur museum.  Love you all!

Betsy to Abe: Team Little Rascals challenges Team Larger Than Life (name later changed) to a contest of fun this week.  At the dinosaur museum.  Take that!

Betsy to Bethany:   The challenge is on like donkey kong!

Bethany to Betsy:  We are gonna kick your trash.  Just you wait!

Betsy to Bethany:  So that's how it's gonna be!

Bethany to Betsy:  Yep!  We are gonna rock this competition all the way!

Abe to Betsy:  Fun in da car

Betsy to Abe:  Fun with friends

Abe to Betsy:  Wendy's in Vegas!!  We are so ADVENTUROUS!!

Abe to Betsy:  Hyatt Hotel FUN with... Team Crazy Cruisers!! (Sorry your team name for us was shot down) LOVE YOU!!

Betsy to Abe:  Puzzle completed.  Score for The Little Rascals.

Betsy to Abe:  Storytime:)

Abe to Betsy:  Goodnight!!

Betsy to Abe:  Goodnight.  Faith is sleeping with me tonight.  We're watching Austenland.

I declare Day One goes to... Team Little Rascals!

DAY TWO

Abe to Betsy:  The Vegas strip at six am.

Betsy to Abe:  Probably the best time to be there.  Have a good drive.

 Abe to Betsy:  LONG BEACH, California!!!

Betsy to Abe:  You win this round, Crazy Cruisers.  We'll get you next time!

Abe to Betsy:  Elinor BEING Elinor!!!

Abe to Betsy:  Crazy Cruisers in the OCEAN......now that's fun.....on Jan. 4th!!!

Betsy to Abe:  About to leave for church to meet new teachers!!  Now that is fun!

Abe to Betsy:  That is REALLY fun, too.... and honestly I'd LOVE to be there with you, as well!!!

Abe to Betsy:  In a cab heading to the cruise ship!!

Betsy to Abe:  Awesome!! We sat with Johansens for Sacrament.  Love you all so much!  Have the best time:)

Abe to Betsy:  Tiny room for 4 Crazy Cruisers!! HUGE Adventures Ahead for 4 Crazy Cruisers!!

Betsy to Abe:  Should be fun to get ready in the morning.

Abe to Betsy:  Hawaiian Clark-a hooky (his Hawaiian nickname since he was a baby).

If I'm being honest, I have to give Day Two to the Crazy Cruisers.  
They are out at sea now and I we probably won't have a lot of reception for the week.  As it stands we are tied at one to one.  Stay tuned for more!